used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
anew
From this reading It was only the lightest touch; and instantly, suddenly, as if startled by the chill contact, the azure flutterer rose again.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At last a wing tip, or more likely the tip of the velvet tail, brushed the surface.
azurenounUS /ˈæʒər/
a light shade of blue
From this reading It was only the lightest touch; and instantly, suddenly, as if startled by the chill contact, the azure flutterer rose again.
BabenounUS /beɪb/
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
blossomverbUS /ˈblɑːsəm/
produce or yield flowers
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
brushedadjectiveUS /brʌʃt/
touched lightly in passing; grazed against
From this reading At last a wing tip, or more likely the tip of the velvet tail, brushed the surface.
butterfliesnounUS /ˈbʌtərflaɪz/
plural of “butterfly” — diurnal insect typically having a slender body with knobbed antennae and broad colorful wings
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
butterflyverbUS /ˈbʌtərflaɪ/
flutter like a butterfly
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
chillnounUS /tʃɪl/
coldness due to a cold environment
From this reading It was only the lightest touch; and instantly, suddenly, as if startled by the chill contact, the azure flutterer rose again.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
contactnounUS /ˈkɑːntækt/
close interaction
From this reading It was only the lightest touch; and instantly, suddenly, as if startled by the chill contact, the azure flutterer rose again.
crystalnounUS /ˈkrɪstəl/
a solid formed by the solidification of a chemical and having a highly regular atomic structure
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
dippedadjectiveUS /dɪpt/
having abnormal sagging of the spine (especially in horses)
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
distinguishverbUS /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/
mark as different
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
elementnounUS /ˈeləmənt/
an abstract part of something
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
expansenounUS /ɪkˈspæns/
a wide scope
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
a military campaign designed to achieve a specific objective in a foreign country
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
explorernounUS /ɪkˈsplɔːrər/
someone who travels into little known regions (especially for some scientific purpose)
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
flickeringadjectiveUS /ˈflɪkərɪŋ/
shining unsteadily
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
flutteredverbUS /ˈflʌtərd/
past form of “flutter” — move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
flutterer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was only the lightest touch; and instantly, suddenly, as if startled by the chill contact, the azure flutterer rose again.
devoid of good sense or judgment
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
frailadjectiveUS /freɪl/
physically weak
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
gentiannounUS /ˈdʒenʃən/
any of various plants of the family Gentianaceae especially the genera Gentiana and Gentianella and Gentianopsis
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
INKMAKER
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading It was only the lightest touch; and instantly, suddenly, as if startled by the chill contact, the azure flutterer rose again.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
immediately past
From this reading At last a wing tip, or more likely the tip of the velvet tail, brushed the surface.
lightestadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪtəst/
superlative of “light” — of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading It was only the lightest touch; and instantly, suddenly, as if startled by the chill contact, the azure flutterer rose again.
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading At last a wing tip, or more likely the tip of the velvet tail, brushed the surface.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
come together
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading At last a wing tip, or more likely the tip of the velvet tail, brushed the surface.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
and nothing more
From this reading It was only the lightest touch; and instantly, suddenly, as if startled by the chill contact, the azure flutterer rose again.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
puritynounUS /ˈpjʊrəti/
being undiluted or unmixed with extraneous material
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
a calm, lengthy, intent consideration
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
scantadjectiveUS /skænt/
less than the correct or legal or full amount often deliberately so
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
marked by exceptional merit
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
Silverwater
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
specknounUS /spek/
a very small spot
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading It was only the lightest touch; and instantly, suddenly, as if startled by the chill contact, the azure flutterer rose again.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading It was only the lightest touch; and instantly, suddenly, as if startled by the chill contact, the azure flutterer rose again.
the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading At last a wing tip, or more likely the tip of the velvet tail, brushed the surface.
a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
the posterior part of the body of a vertebrate especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body
From this reading At last a wing tip, or more likely the tip of the velvet tail, brushed the surface.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
tipnounUS /tɪp/
the extreme end of something; especially something pointed
From this reading At last a wing tip, or more likely the tip of the velvet tail, brushed the surface.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
make physical contact with, come in contact with
From this reading It was only the lightest touch; and instantly, suddenly, as if startled by the chill contact, the azure flutterer rose again.
treacherousadjectiveUS /ˈtretʃərəs/
dangerously unstable and unpredictable
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
turquoisenounUS /ˈtɜːrkwɔɪz/
a blue to grey green mineral consisting of copper aluminum phosphate
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
(usually followed by “to”) not having the necessary means or skill or know-how
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
unruffledadjectiveUS /ənˈrʌfəld/
free from emotional agitation or nervous tension
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
velvetnounUS /ˈvelvət/
a silky densely piled fabric with a plain back
From this reading At last a wing tip, or more likely the tip of the velvet tail, brushed the surface.
voyager'snounUS /ˈvɔɪɪdʒərz/
possessive form of “voyager” — a traveler to a distant land (especially one who travels by sea)
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The turquoise wings dipped and rose, sometimes coming so close to the water that the Babe caught his breath, thinking the frail voyager's eyes were unable to distinguish between the crystal purity of the water and that of the air.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was a foolish expedition for the little explorer, so far from shore, and over that lonely, treacherous element which has such scant mercy for butterflies.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
wingnounUS /wɪŋ/
a movable organ for flying (one of a pair)
From this reading At last a wing tip, or more likely the tip of the velvet tail, brushed the surface.
a means of flight or ascent
From this reading LITTLE SWORD AND THE INKMAKER Out across the shining expanse of Silverwater, now lying unruffled by any breath of wind, went flickering a little blue butterfly, as blue as if a gentian blossom had taken to itself wings or a speck of sky had fluttered down to meet its bright reflection in the lake.
